Shiell



- No Model) R B DASHIELL FUSE FOR HIGH EXPLOSIVES.-

571342. Patented Nov. 17; 189

abhor mm a.

UNITED TATES ATENT FFICE.

ROBERT BROOKE DASIIIELL, OF \VASIHXGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGXOR TO THE HATILUVAY HIGH EXPLOSIVE COMPANY, OF NEW roux, x. Y.

FUSE FOR HIGH EXPLOSIVES SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 571,342, dated November 17, 1896.

Application filed February 29,1896. Serial No. 581,287. No model.)

[ aZL whom it may concern.- 1

Be. it known that 1, ROBERT BROOKE DA- sHIELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fuses for High Explosives; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it'appertains to make and use the same.

My present invent-ion relates to fuses for use with high explosives; and it consists in employing in a fuse of peculiar construction a compound of nitrocellulose, in order to obtain an explosion of a high order from high explosives, and yet to have the conditions of safety from premature explosion necessary for success in firing shell from guns or in the ordinary rough usage of mining operations.

I have found that great heat in the explosion of the fuse is a necessity in such results as are desired to be obtained with these high explosives, and to attain this high heat I inclose the fuse composition in a strong envelop, so that said composition may be thoroughly ignited and gas may be developed under great heat and pressure before the envelop is ruptured and the heat and flame communicate to the surrounding explosive.

The fuse composition is a nitrocellulose compound in which the nitrocellulose, preferably mixed with barium nitrate. and calcic carbonate or like oxidizing agents or their equivalents, is colloided by a propersolvent, such as nitrobenzol or acetone This renders the nitrocellulose a tough t "ny substance, inert to shock, but easily igi .ted by an ordinary flame, such as a simple fuse-train or primer, yet, *when confined, capable of powerful explosion of the character desired. The composition may be packed solid or in granules in'the envelop.

The explosive described in the patent to Bernadou and Converse, No. 550, 472, granted November 26, 189p, is Well suited for the purposes of this invention. The nitrocellulose gives the necessary explosive power, the colloid form gives the inertness, and the strong,

.fuse constructed according to my invention,

and Fig. 2 represents a similar section of a shell provided with a front fuse constructed according to my invention.

The shell A or A is filled with a charge 13, of any suitable high explosive, such, for instance, as that described in the patent to Bernadou and Converse aforesaid, or as described in the patent to J. E. Blomen, No.

530,063, granted November 27, 1894.

0 represents a strong steel envelop or shell, preferably cylindrical and enlarged somewhat at itsouter end, with male screwthreads 0 to screwinto the female screwthreads a in the opening of the shell. On the same end-the envelop C is provided with female screw-threads c to engage the threads on the exterior-0f the inner fuse-stock or igniter, while the inner end" of the envelop C is closed with a screw-plug O, screwed into the screw-threads 0 but this end of the envelop may be-closed iuany other convenient way, if preferred.

The igniter includes an ordinary fuse, such as that described in the patent to IV; IL.

Driggs, No. 419,143, granted January 7 1890, and shown at D in Fig. l, or the well-known form of percussion-fuse shown at D in Fig.

which slipsover theexterior of the inner fusestock, while in Fig. 2 a like case D fits in a chambered recess (Z at the inner end of the inner fuse-stock.

The part of the chamber in the envelop 0 not occupied by the igniter is filled with the colloided cellulose E. This colloid may be either arranged in parallel strips, as shown,

'2, to the end of which a small charge of black The igniter sets fire to the charge D which ignites the colloided cellulose E, which burns in the envelop O until the pressure of the gases in the envelop issufficient to burst the envelop,"wlieirthe *l'ii'ghmeat' andpressure of the said gases will explode the charge B.

When' used for mining purposes, the said charge B will be held in a blast-hole instead of in a shell, but the operation would be the same in either case.

The envelop O with its charge of colloided cellulose may be used in connection with most of the well-known types of time or percussion fuses, and adapts these fuses for use in exploding high explosives.

It will be obvious that various modifications in the herein-described apparatus might be made which could be used without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a fuse for high explosives, the combination with a strong envelop partly filled with colloided nitrocellulose, of means for igniting said nitrocellulose,- substantially as dey scribed.

2.---In-a fuse-for high explosives, the com bination with'a strong envelop partly filled with colloided nitrocellulose and an oxidizing agent,'of means for igniting said nitrocellulose, substantially as described.

In a fuse for high explosives, the combination with a strong cylindrical envelop partly filled with colloided nitrocellulose and interiorly screw-threaded, of an igniting device screwed into: said envelop, substantially as described. r

4. In a fuse for high explosives, the combination with a strong envelop, partly filled with colloided nitrocellulose, of device held therein, and a case containing black powder or like explosive connected to said igniting device, substantially "as de-" scribed.

5. In-a fuse for high explosives the combination with a strong envelop partly lfilled an igniting with colloided nitrocelluloseand anoxidizing I,

7. In a fuse for high explosives, the com bination with a strong cylindrical envelop partly filled with colloided nitrocellulose, of a fuse-stock screwed therein, and igniting mechanism contained in said fuse-stock, and operated by the impact of the shell, substantially as described.

8. In a fuse for high explosives, the combination with a strong cylindrical envelop partly filled with colloided nitrocellulose, of a fuse-stock screwed therein, and igniting mechanism contained in said fuse-stock, and a case containing black powder oilike explosive connected .tosaid fusej-stock suhstantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses:

W. A. DOBSON, W. T. PownLL.

agent, of an igniting device held therein, and 

